Motors I'm building my own car... UPDATE - Stoneliegh 2013

It's something I've wanted to do for ages, and after a steady diet of Overhaulin and A Car / E-type / Bike / Chopper / Plane is born, I think it's time I started thinking a bit more seriously about it.

After looking on the net, I think I've come down to two options:

A Chesil Speedster:



OR

A Marlin Racing Sportster:



I like the look of the Speedster, but it's a Beetle underneath the nice body. The sportster on the other hand, looks similar to other cars of the 'type' (Caterham, Whestfield, Robin Hood etc), but has a nice 1930's sort of feel and seems to be cheaper - plus it has bomb proof 3 series Beemer underpinnings.

So, what do you think - classic Porsche look-a-like, or two seat open wheel BMW?

Also, has anyone built a kit car before? What advice can you give me?

 

So i'm not alone in watching those proggies too? Damn they're good
I actually like both, the open wheel is a bit too common though for me, so i'd go for the Speedster, because it looks so nice.

EDIT: Although the Speedster looks nice, I think the Open Wheel would be so much more fun, and so, go for that deffo.

EDIT 2: I'm drooling at the Open Wheeler now, put a V6 in it, or a straight six!
It looks SO nice, something I may even have to put in the back of my head to consider in 5-6 years

 

Build the Sportster, it'll be a more fun result when you've finished, and it'll be easier to build if it's an open-top affair with a simple body. (Caterhams/Whestfields etc are common kit-cars for a reason.)

 

Definitely the Sportster - I much prefer the Caterham-style body shape (but then I spend a lot of time at Brands, and love watching the Caterham 7's bombing around the track )
The Chesil body design doesn't do anything for me...

 

despite the fact that the first is a lookalike of one of the sexiest cars to ever be built imo, i think i'd still go for option B for the fun factor

 

Id say the Sportster too Thats the kind of car i want to build once I graduate, except I want to go the Locost route and do it from scratch
The NG-TC has a similar look to the Sportster, not sure what donor it uses or how it compares price wise though.
Just need to drop an 'M' engine in there too...

 

I have to say I'm more and more inclined to do the sportster, especially after seeing how much an E30 3 Series goes for.

Depending on purchase orders being signed off by the boss (Mrs GOO), It'd probably be an M under the hood for fun, frolics and imminent disaster.

 

That Sportster is just sexy! I love the look of old roadster cars despite what continent they were made on.

 

The marlin all the way. But what engine thats the question?

 

I'd go for the latter. Definitely more of a weekend/fun car.

 

Defo go for the Speedster would be great for track days too

 

To keep it simple (and costs down), the engine that comes in the donor car - so most likely a 2.5 litre Beemer straight six. If I can get hold of an M series car, all the better.

However... If (there's a lot of ifs in this embryonic project ) I could swing it, I'd love a V8 in it. Not for the added grunt, just for the noise...

 

Out of those 2 I'd certainly choose the Sportster. It certainly seems to be the more fun of 2 options. Good luck with building it. I couldn't see it being any harder than doing repairs to an existing car. In fact it would be easier as you get to work on any given part without extra stuff in front - if you get what I mean.

Personally, I'd love to build a GT40 . Kits to whatever stage you want are available here (Australian company but one of the best in the world apparently).

EDIT: The right cam/exhaust combo can give some downright lumpy sounding grumbles. The straight 6 I had before my current one dead set sounded like an 8. Loud and proud

 

It has to be the Speedster without any doubt at all.
I would agree with the Sportster if you plan on doing track days every weekend, but not for the road.
The Sportser just conjures up images of a flat cap and pipe.

The Speedster looks sooooo cool, and even though the Sportster is by far the better car I still say the Speedster.

I

 

So when you start, will you be keeping a project log here?

 

Maybe. Like I said, there's an awful lot of if's involved... I've yet to get the missus on side...

And looking at my garage (single, integral afair), I don't think I'm going to have enough room to build it there - so I'll need to find a nice big space to work in.

Then there's the money - I've got to work out the finances first before I do anything.

It's all a matter of time - I will be doing this. Just wether I manage to get on with it before I'm 40, I dunno.

And the decision has been made - it will be a Sportster. Metalic black for preference, with a set of wire wheels, and a nice creme leather and chrome interior. Ok, it's not quite the same, but you get the idea from this lovely 1930's Aston Martin Ulster:

 

Open wheelers are very fun to build, I got one for my 14th birthday (a Westfield) and me and my dad are building it together.

Edit: Are you going to be building it as a whole kit, or using a donor car?
When you pick up the parts and everything, make sure all the piecs are there, sounds stupid, but weve had some problems with ours.

Wouldn't hurt to have a big box of spare nuts, bolts, screws, etc.

 

Deffo the sportster, one of the guys on another forum I frequent is building one, and is logging his build on a site -

www.msportster.co.uk

 

Yeah - I checked that site out - it's linked from the marlin website. Looks as if he's doing a good job.

He didn't seem to rebuild the engine though. Looks as if he just hoiked it out of the beemer, gave it a clean and a new swanky paint job and that was that.

 

save up and get the lovely new cosworth caterham.

dont have a test drive though because you would happily sell your mum to slavery to afford it